A collective of volunteers and historians, operating under the name Citizen Historians for the Smithsonian, has documented over 50,000 wall labels across the Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums. This grassroots effort was launched in response to the Trump administration's directives to review and remove what it deems "divisive narratives" or "improper ideology" from federal cultural institutions. The tension escalated at the National Portrait Gallery when a label for Donald Trump’s portrait was edited to remove references to his two impeachments, leading to a "guerrilla teaching" protest by Georgetown historian James Millward.
This development underscores the growing politicization of museum curation and the role of wall text as a battleground for historical interpretation. As federal oversight shifts toward more restrictive narratives, the documentation of existing signage serves as a critical archive against potential censorship. The conflict highlights a significant shift in institutional politics, where the presentation of American history in public museums is increasingly subject to direct government intervention and public resistance.